Edgar Lungu maintains lead as HH closely follows

Patriotic Front presidential candidate Edgar Lungu has maintained his lead in Tuesday’s presidential with results from 80 constituencies so far declared by the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

Addressing a media briefing at the national results totaling centre this morning, ECZ Chairperson Irene Mambilima said verified results from the 80 constituencies give PF’s Edgar Lungu 533,613 votes representing 50.85%,UPND’s Hakainde Hichilema has 474,076 votes representing 45.18%,MMD’s Nevers Mumba has 8,035 votes representing 0.77%,FDD’s Edith Nawakwi has 7,697 votes representing 0.73%, UNIP’s Tilyenji Kaunda has 4,956 votes representing 0.47%, while NAREP’s Elias Chipimo Junior has 3,358 votes representing 0.32%.

Others are Erick Chanda of the Fourth Revolution party with 3,358 votes representing 0.32 percent,Godfrey Miyanda of Heritage party with 3,035 votes representing 0.29 percent, Daniel Pule of the Christian Democratic party with 1,706 votes representing 0.16%,Ludwig Sondashi of FDA with 970 votes representing 0.09% with Green party’s Peter Sinkamba amassing 727 votes representing 0.07%.

Justice Mambilima says the total number of registered voters in the 80 constituencies is 3, 034,920,while the total votes cast were 1,049,418 of which 10,171 votes were rejected.

She adds that voter turnout in the declared constituencies was 34.58 percent.

And Justice Mambilima has ruled out the possibility of a recount of votes in the event that there is a dispute over the results.

She explained that there is nothing in the law were a recount of votes is provided at the tallying centre or the national results totaling centre.

Justice Mambilima says a recount can only be done at the polling station.

Meanwhile the Electoral Commission of Zambia says four polling stations will be voting today.

ECZ Director Priscilla Isaacs says two polling stations in Chama South namely Chibale and Kabanjila will be voting today after they could not proceed to vote yesterday as expected after electoral officers failed to reach the area after the bridge connecting the area was washed away.

Ms Isaacs says the Council Secretary in Chama South will advise what progress has been made during the course of the day.

She says the two polling stations together have combined total of 2,173 registered voters.